Panel May Seek Public Input On Letting Peace Candle Stand

Should the Peace Candle remain in Centre Square until U.S. troops end their stay in the Persian Gulf?

The Peace Candle Committee will meet this morning to decide whether to poll the public on keeping the candle up during the crisis.

Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said that had committee members been polled at yesterday's meeting, the "overwhelming majority" would have favored letting the Peace Candle stand, provided the public approves.

Today the committee is expected to draft a proposition for the public, most likely in the form of newspaper ads/ballots.

If war breaks out in the Middle East, how long will the evergreens at the base of the Peace Candle retain their color? Yesterday the committee considered such concerns.

This would not be the first time the candle was conscripted for war duty. It stayed up for a period during the Vietnam War.

The Vietnam precedent might explain why the committee is going to the people. What if there isn't a quick resolution in Kuwait?

Panto admitted yesterday that nobody wants to be held responsible if the candle is still up in July. At that point, committee members fear, its aesthetics might undermine the morale the gesture is designed to boost.

As for the cost of keeping it up, Panto said it's negligible -- a little additional for electricity that can be offset through donations. The more important question is the candle's structure. Yesterday city workers were evaluating whether it was structurally sound enough to remain up for a long period.